Clean Food Group
Clean Food Group is a UK biotech that produces sustainable oils and fats via yeast fermentation of food waste, selling drop-in alternatives to palm, coconut, and cocoa butter oils to global cosmetics, food, and pet food manufacturers under its CLEAN OilCell™ platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Clean Food Group does
Clean Food Group is a UK-based biotechnology company founded in 2021 that produces sustainable oils and fats through precision fermentation of food waste feedstocks. Its proprietary CLEAN OilCell™ platform uses a non-GMO Metschnikowia pulcherrima yeast strain developed through Directed Evolution over eight years of research at the University of Bath, converting surplus bread and other food waste into microbial oils and fats that are chemically identical drop-in replacements for palm, coconut, and cocoa butter oils. The product portfolio includes CLEAN Oil 25 (approved for cosmetics in the UK, EU, and US), CLEAN Oil 40 and CLEAN Fat 50 (food-grade oils and fats), and CLEAN Protein+ (food applications), with reported greenhouse gas emission reductions of more than 95% versus conventional agricultural oils.
The company operates a B2B enterprise model selling sustainable ingredients and licensing its technology platform to global food, cosmetics, and pet food manufacturers. Commercial revenue is generated through direct ingredient supply, technology licensing, and recurring royalties on distributed manufacturing, supported by strategic partners including THG LABS and Croda for cosmetics, Döhler Group and Alianza Team for food and fermentation scale-up, and Roberts Bakery for feedstock. Manufacturing is anchored by a one-million-litre fermentation facility acquired in September 2025 in Knowsley, Liverpool, described as the world's largest for yeast-derived oils and fats, alongside a research partnership with the University of Bath.
Clean Food Group is pre-revenue and venture-backed, having raised approximately £13 million across seed through Series Pre-A rounds between 2022 and April 2026 from investors including Agronomics (which holds roughly a 35% stake), Clean Growth Fund, New Agrarian, SEED Innovations, and Döhler Group, supplemented by £1.7M of UK government grants. With 11-50 employees and a Series A expected in H1 2026, the company is positioned to commercialize CLEAN Oil 25 at scale and extend the platform into food and pet food applications.
Clean Food Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clean Food Group
- Legal name
- Clean Food Group
- Website
- https://cleanfood.group
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Clean Food Group is a UK biotech that produces sustainable oils and fats via yeast fermentation of food waste, selling drop-in alternatives to palm, coconut, and cocoa butter oils to global cosmetics, food, and pet food manufacturers under its CLEAN OilCell™ platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clean Food Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Oils and Fats Ingredients
- NAICS
- Fats and Oils Refining and Blending (311225)
- SIC
- Fats & Oils (2070)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Virgin & Cold-Pressed Culinary Oils (AFAJALAB)
Keywords
Where Clean Food Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Clean Food Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Direct Product Supply: Direct supply of sustainable oils and fats (Clean Oil 25, Clean Oil 40, Clean Fat 50) to food and cosmetics manufacturers at competitive price points to agricultural equivalents.
- Licensing Agreements: Technology licensing agreements with global manufacturing partners enabling distributed production of yeast-derived oils using CFG's proprietary technology platform.
- Recurring Royalties: Ongoing royalty revenue from distributed manufacturing partnerships where licensees produce CFG oils and fats using proprietary technology.
- Co-products Revenue: Diversified revenue from co-products including beta-glucan, proteins, and emulsifiers produced during the fermentation process.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Clean Food Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clean Food Group is a UK-based biotechnology manufacturer that produces sustainable oils and fats through proprietary yeast fermentation of food waste feedstocks. Using its CLEAN OilCell™ platform, the company makes drop-in alternatives to palm, coconut, and cocoa butter oils for global food, cosmetics, and pet food manufacturers, achieving over 95% lower greenhouse gas emissions than agricultural equivalents.
Product overview
Clean Food Group operates as a biotechnology manufacturing company offering sustainable oils and fats through its proprietary CLEAN OilCell™ technology platform. The product portfolio includes CLEAN Oil 25 (for cosmetics), CLEAN Oil 40, CLEAN Fat 50, and CLEAN Protein+ (for food applications). The company uses yeast fermentation with food waste feedstocks to produce drop-in alternatives to traditional agricultural oils and fats, achieving over 95% lower GHG emissions. The technology was developed through 8 years of research at the University of Bath and the company has acquired a one-million-liter fermentation facility in Knowsley, Liverpool.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CLEAN Oil: Sustainable oils produced through fermentation of food waste using proprietary yeast-based technology
- CLEAN OilCell
- CLEAN Oil 25
- CLEAN Oil 40
- CLEAN Fat 50
- CLEAN Protein+
- CleanOil
Products and services
- CLEAN Oil 25 Fermentation-derived yeast oil for cosmetics applications, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional palm oil and petroleum-derived ingredients. Approved for cosmetic use in UK, EU, and US markets. Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 95% compared to conventional agricultural oils.
- CLEAN Oil 40 Sustainable oil product for food applications, serving as a drop-in replacement for palm oil and other agricultural oils with functional performance and over 95% lower GHG emissions. Designed for confectionery, bakery, and processed food applications.
- CLEAN Fat 50 Sustainable fat product for food applications, offering functional replacement for traditional fats including cocoa butter alternatives with significantly reduced environmental impact.
- CLEAN Protein+ Protein product derived from the yeast fermentation process, utilizing food waste feedstocks and microbial processes for applications across food and pet food markets. Includes beta-glucan and emulsifiers produced during fermentation.
Quantifiable outcome
- >95% lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional agricultural oils
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Clean Food Group
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Clean Food Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Clean Food Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- Delphic HSEsupportingRegulatory and safety consultancy supporting CLEAN Oil 25 approval process, ensuring compliance with rigorous cosmetic application standards in UK, EU, and US markets.
- THG LABScoreUK-based beauty product development and manufacturing specialist with 30+ years experience. Co-developed Clean Oil 25 from discovery to approval, ensuring formulation-readiness, stability, and scalable manufacturing for beauty brand adoption.
- CrodacoreSpecialty chemicals company (FTSE 100) providing deep chemical and manufacturing expertise to support industry integration of Clean Oil 25. Added expertise in scaling and manufacturing sustainable technology for global personal care market.
- Roberts BakerysupportingPartnership utilizing surplus bread as feedstock for yeast fermentation, creating circular ecosystem for sustainable oil production from food waste.
- Döhler GroupcoreInternational food ingredients company providing manufacturing scale-up services and manufacturing expertise. Services agreement to rapidly scale fermentation process to commercial level and enable manufacture of product batches for regulatory approval. Also participated in funding rounds as investor.
- Alianza TeamcoreLatin American food production and lipid-based technology expert with 75 years experience. Strategic collaboration to develop and bring to market sustainable, functional, and cost competitive oils and fats products for global food manufacturers. Includes investment in Clean Food Group's Pre Series A funding round.
- University of BathcoreEight-year research partnership developing proprietary yeast fermentation technology. Clean Food Group acquired relevant IP from university and signed two-year collaboration agreement to scale technology. Professor Chris Chuck leads team at dedicated CFG laboratory and pilot plant.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Clean Food Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- C16 Biosciences: C16 Biosciences is a US-based precision fermentation company producing palm oil alternatives via microbial fermentation, the same core technology approach and target market as Clean Food Group.
- Circe: Circe is a biotechnology company producing fermentation-derived fats and oils as drop-in replacements for palm and tropical oils in food and personal care, directly competing with Clean Food Group.
Emerging players
- Nourish Ingredients: Nourish Ingredients uses precision fermentation to produce specialty fats and oils for food applications, addressing the same sustainable oils and fats market with a technology-adjacent approach to Clean Food Group.
- Melt & Marble: Melt & Marble is a Swedish precision fermentation startup producing animal-fat alternatives through microbial fermentation, competing in the sustainable specialty fats category relevant to Clean Food Group.
Broad incumbents
- Corbion: Corbion is a global leader in food ingredients and biobased solutions including specialty fats and oils for food and personal care, a broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities to Clean Food Group.
- AAK: AAK is a leading specialty oils and fats company supplying food, personal care, and other end markets, providing a comparable global specialty fats and oils platform to Clean Food Group's target segments.
- Croda International: Croda is a FTSE 100 specialty chemicals company supplying sustainable ingredients to personal care and food manufacturers, both a strategic partner and a broader incumbent comparable to Clean Food Group.
- Döhler Group: Döhler is a global producer of natural ingredients, ingredient systems, and integrated solutions for the food and beverage industry, serving as both a strategic partner and broader incumbent to Clean Food Group.
- Kerry Group: Kerry Group is a global taste and nutrition company supplying food and beverage ingredients across multiple categories, providing scale and customer reach that overlaps with Clean Food Group's food manufacturer segment.
- Cargill: Cargill is one of the world's largest agricultural commodity traders and processors of palm, soy, and other vegetable oils, representing the established incumbent against which Clean Food Group's sustainable alternative competes.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clean Food Group social profiles
Digital presenceClean Food Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clean Food Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Clean Food Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clean Food Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clean Food Group
What does Clean Food Group do?
Clean Food Group is a UK-based biotechnology manufacturer that produces sustainable oils and fats through proprietary yeast fermentation of food waste feedstocks. Using its CLEAN OilCell™ platform, the company makes drop-in alternatives to palm, coconut, and cocoa butter oils for global food, cosmetics, and pet food manufacturers, achieving over 95% lower greenhouse gas emissions than agricultural equivalents.
Is Clean Food Group a public or private company?
Clean Food Group is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Clean Food Group founded?
Clean Food Group was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Clean Food Group based?
Clean Food Group is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Clean Food Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct Product Supply is the primary driver. The others are licensing Agreements, recurring Royalties and co-products Revenue.
Who are Clean Food Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are C16 Biosciences and Circe. Emerging players are Nourish Ingredients and Melt & Marble. Broad incumbents are Corbion, AAK, Croda International, Döhler Group, Kerry Group and Cargill.
Does Clean Food Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clean Food Group.
What industry is Clean Food Group in?
Clean Food Group's product category is Sustainable Oils and Fats Ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAJALAB, Virgin & Cold-Pressed Culinary Oils. Its NAICS code is 311225 and its SIC code is 2070.